Process for producing decorated fabrics

ABSTRACT

Fabric is decorated with a three-dimensional pattern by applying a compressing force to the portion of the fabric disposed in the pattern of the depressed portion of chosen embossment pattern by pressing against the fabric a stencil having cut out portions shaped as the chosen embossment pattern. The stencil is a sheet with an openwork pattern the openings being sufficiently large to permit the fabric to project therethrough upon the compression. The uncompressed portions projecting through the openings in the stencil after the compression are then exposed to the surface of a vaporizable dyestuff-coated transfer sheet and the condition set to cause dyestuff transfer to the uncompressed portions of the exposed fabric and to set the pattern of embossment. The stencil is then removed leaving a fabric having a permanently embossed pattern of a different color from the depressed portions.

United States Patent [191 Shackleton PROCESS FOR PRODUCING DECORATED FABRICS [75] Inventor: Alan Lomas Shackleton, Mansfield,

England [73] Assignee: Ashfield Dyeing & Finishing Company Limited, Ashfield,

England [22] Filed: May 4, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 250,136

[52] U.S. Cl 8/25, 28/74 R, 101/129 [51] Int. Cl D06p 7/00 [58] Field of Search 8/25; 28/74 R; 101/129 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,895,243 1/1933 Dort ..8/2.5 3,620,881 11/1971 Kanneglessen ..8/2.5

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 647,105 12/1950 Great Britain ..8/2.5 759,595 10/1956 GreatBritain ..8/2.5

[. Feb. 25, 1975 Primary Examiner Donald Levy Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Larson, Taylor and Hinds [57] ABSTRACT Fabric is decorated with a three-dimensional pattern by applying a compressingforce to the portion of the fabric disposed in the patternof the depressed portion of chosen embossment pattern by pressing against the leaving a fabric having a permanently embossed pattern of a different color from the depressed portions.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PROCESS FOR PRODUCING DECORATED FABRICS This invention relates to a process for producing decorated fabrics and particularly decorated embossed fabrics.

It is already known to produce decorated fabrics by exposing a fabric to a sheet of transfer material carrying a dyestuff which is vapourizable. The previously known processes have utilized flat sheets of material carrying the dyestuffs brought into continuous contact with the fabric to be dyed, the pattern produced being a reverse replica of the pattern in which the dyestuff is deposited on the carrier sheet.

Not only is the pattern produced by the known process a two dimensional pattern but the transfer sheet requires a careful printing operation to deposit the dyestuff in exactly the pattern required. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process in which a fabric is decorated with a three dimensional pattern and which utilizes transfer sheets which do not require any expensive and complicated printing process.

According to the invention a process of producing a decorated embossed fabric includes the steps of applying a compressing force to portions of the fabric disposed in the pattern of the depressed portion of a chosen embossment pattern, exposing the uncompressed portions of the fabric to a source of vapourizable dyestuff and setting the conditions to cause the dyestuff to transfer to the uncompressed portions of the fabric and to set the pattern of embossment, then removing the compressing force.

The dyestuff may be an aqueous or a non-aqueous dyestuff and may be sublimable, i.e., able to pass from the solid phase to the liquid phase either without an immediate liquid phase or with a liquid phase extending over an extremely small temperature range.

Apparatus for performing the process may include a stencil in the form of a sheet of material of a thickness at least equal to the height of the embossments to be formed in the fabric and formed with a fret pattern the cut-away portions of which form a pattern the same as the raised portions of the embossment pattern to be formed, and a sheet of transfer material carrying as a coating thereon a vapourizable dyestuff.

The stencil may be a sheet of textile material formed with an openwork pattern, for example the stencil may be a piece of lace or crochet work.

The accompanying diagrammatic drawings shown how the process is performed.

FIG. 1 is a cross-section showing to a greatly enlarged scale a piece of fabric undergoing the process and FIG. 2 is a cross-section to the same scale of the piece of fabric after treatment by the process.

In the drawings 1 denotes a stencil formed with cutaway portions 2 forming a fret pattern. 3 denotes a sheet of fabric to be decorated and 4 denotes a sheet of transfer material carrying a coating 5 of dyestuff. 6 denotes portions of the sheet of fabric 3 protruding into the openings 2 and 7 denotes the compressed portions. The stencil 1 may be a sheet of rigid material or may be a sheet of textile material, for example lace or crochet work. Where lace or crochet work is used as the stencil the portions 2 are the openwork portions in the lace or crochet work. 8 denotes a rigid base surface against which the sheet of fabric 3 is pressed by the movable member 9, the members 8 and 9 constituting the relatively movable members of a press, which may be a hydraulic press or a screw press.

The process is performed by placing the stencil 1 against the surface of the fabric 3 to be decorated and embossed, placing the dyestuff-coated surface 5 of the transfer sheet 4 against the face of the stencil remote from the fabric 3, placing the sandwich thus formed in the press 8, 9 and compressing the sandwich whereby to cause the stencil l to compress and mask the portions 7 of the fabric intended to become depressed portions of the embossment pattern while the remaining portions 6 of the fabric protrude into the cut-away portions 2 of the stencil l and come close to or against the dyestuff-coated surface 5 of the transfer sheet 4. Thereafter the dyestuff or some of the dyestuff on the portions of the sheet 4 adjacent the portions 6 of the sheet of fabric 3 is caused to vapourize and the sheet of fabric 3 to become set in the embossment pattern e.g., by application of heat and/or a chemical treatment. The sandwich l, 3, 4, is then withdrawn from the press 8, 9 and the stencil l and the carrier sheet 4 removed leaving a fabric having a permanently embossed pattern of a different colour from the depressed portions.

What is claimed is:

l. A process for decorating a fabric with a threedimensional pattern which comprises applying a compressing force to portions of a resilient flat fabric disposed in the pattern of the depressed portion of a chosen embossment pattern by pressing against the fabric a stencil having cut out portions shaped as the chosen embossment pattern, said stencil being a sheet with an open-work pattern the openings of said patterns being sufficiently large to permit the fabric to project therethrough upon said compression, exposing the uncompressed portions projecting through said openings to the surface of a vaporizable dyestuffcoated transfer sheet, setting the conditions to causethe dyestuff to transfer to the uncompressed portions of the fabric exposed through the cut out portions of the stencil and to set the pattern of embossment, removing the stencil to leave a fabric having a permanently embossed pattern of a different color from the depressed portions.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the dyestuff is a sublimable dyestuff.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the conditions to cause the dyestuff to transfer and to set the pattern of embossment include the application of heat to the dyestuff and the fabric. 7

4. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the conditions to cause the dyestuff to transfer and to set the patterns of embossment include a chemical treatment of the dyestuff and the fabric.

5. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the stencil is a piece of lace.

6. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the stencil is a piece of crochet work. 

1. A PROCESS FOR DECORATING A FABRIC WITH A THREEDIMENSIONAL PATTERN WHICH COMPRISES APPLYING A COMPRESSING FORCE TO PORTIONS OF A RESILIENT FLAT FABRIC DISPOSED IN THE PATTERN OF THE DEPRESSED PORTION OF A CHOSEN EMBOSSMENT PATTERN BY PRESSING AGAINST THE FABRIC A STENCIL HAVING CUT OUT PORTIONS SHAPED AS THE CHOSEN EMBOSSMENT PATTERN, SAID STENCIL BEING A SHEET WITH AN OPEN-WORK PATTERN THE OPENINGS OF SAID PATTERNS BEING SUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO PERMIT THE FABRIC TO PROJECT THERETHROUGH UPON SAID COMPRESSION, EXPOSING THE UNCOMPRESSED PORTIONS PROJECTING THROUGH SAID OPENINGS TO THE SURFACE OF A VAPORIXABLE DYESTUFF-COATED TRANSFER SHEET, SETTING THE CONDITIONS TO CAUSE THE DYESTUFF TO TRANSFER TO THE UNCOMPRESSED PORTIONS OF THE FABRIC EXPOSED THROUGH THE CUT OUT PORTIONS OF THE STENCIL AND TO SET THE PATTERN OF EMBOSSMENT, REMOVING THE STENCIL TO LEAVE A FABRIC HAVING A PERMANENTLY EMBOSSED PATTERN OF A DIFFERENT COLOR FROM THE DEPRESSED PORTIONS.
 2. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the dyestuff is a sublimable dyestuff.
 3. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the conditions to cause the dyestuff to transfer and to set the pattern of embossment include the application of heat to the dyestuff and the fabric.
 4. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the conditions to cause the dyestuff to transfer and to set the patterns of embossment include a chemical treatment of the dyestuff and the fabric.
 5. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the stencil is a piece of lace.
 6. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the stencil is a piece of crochet work. 